Machine for stamping labels



Dec. 11, 1962 K 3,067,677

MACHINE FOR STAMPING LABELS Filed Oct- 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 11, 1962 v 3,067,677

MACHINE FOR STAMPING LABELS Filed Oct. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6'3 5- I I 36 Z2 aa- I l w as 40 I I I 'IIIIIIIIIIl/IIA i I I u-I 7 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Ofifice 3,067,677 Patented Dec. 11, 1962 This invention relates to a machine for stamping labels and more particularly to a device for stamping prices on pressure sensitive labels such as commonly applied to 1 goods in supermarkets and other retail stores.

An object of this invention is to provide such a stamping machine to which there may be detachably connected a conventional hand stamp such as commonly used for stamping numbers in multiples of any desired quantities.

A further object is to provide such a machine which is easy to use, highly efiicient in its operation and economical to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more clearly understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a stamping machine embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

FIG. 3 is a similar front view showing the said machine with the hand stamp removed therefrom.

FIG. 4 is an elevational end view of said machine.

FIG. 5 is an elevational rear view thereof.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged elevational front view illustrating the operation of said machine.

FIG. 7 is a similar view showing the same machine in a different position.

FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating the operation of the feeding finger.

FIG. 9 is a similar view showing the operation of said feeding finger with a different type of label.

In the embodiment of the invention, illustrated in said drawings, my improved stamping machine includes a base 5 upon which is mounted the mechanism of said machine. This mechanism includes a suitable stand 6' for rotatably supporting a roll 7 of carrier strip 8 upon which are mounted, in spaced relation, a plurality of blank labels 9 which are preferably of the pressure sensitive type, having a pressure sensitive adhesive on their underside by means of which they are detachably secured to the strip 8 which also serves to protect the said adhesive while the labels are mounted thereon.

The said stand 6 is preferably detachably mounted on a holder 10 which is secured to the base 5 by means of outwardly extending flanges 11-11 which are slidably inserted under inwardly extending lips 12-12 on said holder 10. The said holder also has an extension 13 with a vertical post 14 thereon upon which there is mounted a horizontal supporting stud 15 which is disposed over the said extension and has mounted thereon a tensioning device such as a coil spring 16 having an extension 17 which engages the strip 8 and the labels 9 thereon to force said strip against the extension 13 and frictionally hold the labels stationary and in position while being stamped.

The said mechanism also includes a base plate 18 which is mounted upon the base 5 by suitable means, such as screws 19 and has thereon vertically extending posts 20 and 21 upon which there is slidably mounted a carrier plate 22 that is slidably secured to the said posts 2t) and 21 by means of shouldered studs 23 and 24 which project through slots 25 and 26 in said carrier plate and are secured to the said posts 20 and 21.

A cam lever 27 is pivotally mounted upon the said carrier plate 22 by means of a pivot stud 28 and extends over a bend 29 in the said carrier plate as shown. The said lever has a cam portion 30 thereon which terminates in a notch 31 therein for the purpose hereinafter described. The said lever has at its free end a downward extension 2 32 which is disposed rearwardly of the carrier plate 22 and has mounted thereon a stud 33 which extends, through a slot 34 in said carrier plate, into a lever 35 that is pivotally mounted upon the carrier plate 22 by a stud 36. Said lever has a feed finger 37 extending therefrom with an angled portion 38 having a free end thatv engages the labels 9 and feeds the stripv 8, with the labels thereon, through the. stamping mechanism. The carrier plate 22 has a supporting projection 39 extending forwardly there- 0 from which underlies the strip 8 directly under the feed finger 37 so that the said labels and feed strip is grasped between said projection 39 and the end of the feed finger for the feeding operation.

The said carrier plate is yieldingly retained in its normal position by means of a spring 40' which is anchored by one end to a post 41, that extends vertically from said supporting plate 18, and at its other end to the carrier plate. Said spring urges the carrier plate into abutment with a stop screw 42' which is threaded in a post 43 and engages a stop portion 44 extending from said carrier plate. The said stop screw is adjustable to vary the length of travel of the said carrier plate and has a lock nut 45 for securing it in adjusted position.

A hand stamp mounting base 46 is mounted upon the base 5 by foot portions 4747, which space said mounting base above the base 5, and a suitable anvil 43v is provided upon said base 5 below said mounting base 46. The

strip 8 with the. labels 9 thereon is slidably received be tween said anvil and mounting base and the said labels are successively positioned directly below an opening 49 in said mounting base as the strip is fed forwardly between said finger 37.

The mounting base 46 also has fingers 5ll-50' which extend upwardly from the opposite sides thereof and are bent inwardly to provide flanges 515'1. A retaining bar 52 is secured to an extension 53 from said mounting base and has an upward bend 54 for engaging the side of the hand stamp to retain it in mounted position upon said mounting base. The said hand stamp, indicated at .55, is a conventional self-contained stamping device such as. described in US. PatentNo. 2,252,649 and has a frame 56 withinwhich there are mounted a desired number of stamp bands 57, each of which has thereon a series of embossed stamping figures running from zero to nine. The said bandsare mounted upon suitable wheels 53 which are rotatable in a sub-frame 59 to provide for adjustment of the bands to align the numbers thereon for obtaining any desired number in stamping position on said sub-frame. The said hand stamp is operable by downward movement of an operating handle 60 which carries fork-like opera-ting member having extensions 6162 which are disposed at the opposite sides of the frame 56.

The said hand stamp has a spring (not shown) which is contained within the handle 60 and retains said handle in raised position whereby the extensions 61-62 retain the sub-base 59 so that the aligned numbers on the bands 57 are in contact with an inking pad (not shown) that is contained in a recess within the top portion 63 of the stamp frame 56.

When the said handle 60 is forced downwardly for a stamping operation, it will rotate the sub-base 59 as it moves it downwardly and thereby carry the aligned numbers on the bands 57' from the inking pad' to the bottom of the hand stamp and into alignment with the center of the opening 49 in the mounting base. Continued downward movement of the handle 60 will then move said aligned numbers further and cause the selected number to be stamped upon the label 9 which is ositioned directly under said opening. The projection 62 carries thereon an operating roller 64 that is rotatably mounted on a stud 65 which is secured to said extension. Said 3 roller engages the cam portion to rock the lever 27 downwardly and thereby operates the finger 37 against the tension of a spring 66 so as to raise said finger. At the same time, continued downward movement of the roller 64 against thecam portion 27 will force said lever and carrier plate 22 towards the left, as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 7, against the tension of the spring 46, until the notch 31 is brought into alignment with the said roller 64; whereupon the lever 27 is released so that upward movement thereof is permitted. The tension of the spring 66 will then pull the finger 37 downwardly into engagement with the upper surface of the label that is in position over the supporting projection 39; thereby firmly grasping the label and strip between said finger and projection. Upon releasing the operating handle 60 it will return to its raised position with the roller 64 and the carrier plate 22 will be returned, by the spring 40, to its normal position against the stop screw 42. The return movement of the carrier plate 22 will then cause the strip 8 and the labels '9 thereon to be moved to the next position wherein a succeeding label will be brought to the stamping position under the opening 49; which position is determined by the adjustment of the stop screw 42 whereby the distance traveled by the said carrier plate on its return to its normal position can be controlled for feeding labels of various widths to the exact stamping position as illustrated in FIG. 1.

My improved machine may also be used for stamping different kinds of labels besides the type above described. The said labels may also be in a continuous strip, with or without tear lines, or with holes in between and separating the labels. Where such holes are used, the feeding finger may be made to engage the holes for the feeding operation.

In the type illustrated in FIG. 9, the labels 9-a are in the form of a continuous tape upon the protective strip 8 and preferably defined by tear lines upon which they are torn off as needed after they are stamped.

In the type illustrated in FIG. 8, the labels 9 are spaced upon the protective strip 8 and may be fed by having the feeding finger 37 engage with the edge of the respective label as shown. For this manner of feeding the labels, the tension of the spring 46 is such that, upon the return movement of the carrier plate 22, the finger 37 will slide over the surface of the label which it engages, as shown in FIG. 7, until it engages the rear edge of the next label just forward, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 8, so that continued movement of the carrier plate will cause said finger to feed the strip 8 and the labels thereon to the next position.

If desired, the cam portion of the lever arm 27 and the spring can be reversed so that the feeding finger will feed the labels forward during the down stroke of the operating handle 60 instead of on the return stroke.

By repeatedly forcing the operating handle 66 downwardly, my improved machine will intermittently feed the strip 3 in the manner above described and any number .of labels may be quickly stamped with the desired number, after which the stamped labels are readily removed from the strip as they are applied upon the goods to be labelled.

It will be noted that, by simply forcing the retaining spring 52 downwardly, the hand stamp may be readily slid off the mounting frame 46 so that it may be used independently of the stamping machine. This is particularly important when it is desired to stamp articles on which labels cannot be applied.

In order to insure the proper mounting of the hand stamp, a stop finger 67 is provided on the mounting base 46. This stop finger has a forwardly extending lip 68 which is received within an opening in the corresponding side of the hand stamp so that the said hand stamp cannot be mounted upon the supporting base except in its proper position wherein the said roll 64 is disposed over the cam portion 30 of the lever 27.

I claim:

1. A stamping machine including a base, a feeding mechanism for feeding a strip with labels thereon through said machine, means for supporting a stamping device in said machine, said feeding mechanism including a carrier member moveably mounted on said base, a feed finger moveable with said carrier member, and operating lever pivotally mounted on said carrier member and adapted for operating said feed finger, said operating lever having a cam portion, means on said stamping device engageable with said cam portion for causing movement of said carrier member and operation of said lever for moving said finger into position to engage said strip, and means operable upon the release of said operating member for causing said finger to grasp the said strip and feed it forwardly to position the next label in stamping position relatively to said stamping device.

2. A stamping machine including a base, means on said base for mounting a stamping device, and means for feeding a strip with labels thereon to successively locate said labels in position to be stamped by said stamping device, said feeding means including a carrier member slidably mounted upon said base, a feed finger pivotally mounted on said carrier member, a lever pivotally mounted on said carrier member and having an extension connected for operating said feed finger, said lever having a cam portion thereon, a projection carried by said stamping device and engageable with said cam portion for operating said lever to move said feed finger to disengage said strip and then cause movement of said carrier member rearwardly relativelyto the strip, means operable upon the release of said operating lever for moving said finger into engagement with the strip and then returning said carrier member and finger to its normal position and thereby feeding said strip forwardly, and adjustable stop means for limiting the return movement of said finger to locate the next label in stamping position.

3. A stamping machine including a base, a stamping device mounted on said base, a feeding mechanism for feeding a strip with labels thereon and successively locating said labels in position to be stamped by said device, said feeding. mechanism including a carrier member moveably mounted on said base, a feed finger pivotally mounted on said carrier member and engageable with said strip, a lever pivotally mounted on said carrier member and connected for operating said feed finger, said lever having a cam portion thereon, a projection on said stamping device engageable with said cam portion for moving said lever to cause disengagement of said feed finger from said strip and then move said carrier member to carry said feed finger from its normal forward position to a rearward position relatively to said strip while disengaged therefrom, the said cam portion terminating on said lever at a point wherein it will become disengaged from said operating projection on the stamping device and release said lever to allow movement of the feed finger into engagement with the strip while the finger is in its rearward position, means operable upon the return of said stamping device to its normal position for causing return feeding movement of said finger to move the next label on the strip into stamping position, and adjustable stop means for limiting the return movement of said feed means and thereby accurately locating said labels in stamping position.

4. A stamping machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein the said lever is provided with a notch at the termination point of the cam means to receive the operating member on the stamping device and thereby release the operating lever.

5. A stamping machine including a main base, a sup porting base mounted upon said main base, a stamping device, means on said supporting base for mounting said stamping device thereon, means for retaining said stamping device in mounted position, the said mounting base having an opening therein, means for mounting a roll of strip including a plurality of spaced labels detachably adhered thereto, a feeding mechanism for feeding said strip to thereby successively locate said labels in register with said opening in the supporting base wherein they are in position to be stamped by said stamping device, friction means for resisting the movement of said strip by said feeding means, said feeding mechanism including a carrier plate slidable on said base, a feed finger pivotally mounted on said carrier plate, an operating lever also pivotally mounted on said carrier plate and connected for operating said feed finger relatively to said strip, a supporting extension projecting from said carrier plate and cooperating with said feed finger for grasping the strip between said extension and finger, the said lever having a cam portion terminating in a notch, the said stamping device having an extension projecting over said cam portion and engageable therewith upon the operation of said stamping device to cause rearward movement of said carrier plate and operation of said feed finger to release the strip, the said projection being receivable in 20 said notch to release said operating member upon said feeding mechanism reaching a rearward position rela- 6 tively to the strip, a spring member operable on the release of said operating lever to force said feed finger into engagement with the strip, and separate spring means operable upon the removal of the said operating projection from said notch to return the feeding mechanism to its normal position and thereby cause feeding movement of said strip to locate the next label in stamping position, and adjustable means for controlling the operation of said feeding mechanism to accurately locate said labels in stamping position relatively to the stamping mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,482,542 Hanrahan et al. Sept. 20, 1949 2,721,649 Powers Oct. 25, 1955 2,860,572 Prohaska Nov. 18, 1958 2,889,768 Hampton June 9, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 324,429 Great Britain Ian. 30, 1039 507,102 Great Britain June 9, 1939 

